Removable shelf for station wagons



' 06t- 23. 1956 .c. E. BECK 2,767,896

RMOVABLE SHELF' FOR STTION WAGQNS f Filed Nov. 2, 1955 C/arence E. Beck INVENTOR.

United States Patent REMOVABLE SHELF FOR STATION WAGONS Clarence E. Beck, Iowa City, Iowa Application November 2, 1953, Serial No. 389,615

2 Claims. (Cl. 224-42.42)

This invention 'relates to `a removable shelf st'ructure particularly adapted for use in 'station wagons whereby such vehicles are rendered more adaptable to carrying merchandse, 'luggage :and the like.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved removable shelf structure for use in station wagons which will efiectively increase the storage space therein and in which the structure is easily and quickly 'removed and 'replaced in the vehicle.

These together with other objects ;and advantages which will 'become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction .and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the -accompanying drawings forming `a part hereof, Wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure `1 'is a perspective view showing the shelf insta'lled in ;a station wagon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the shelf structure with portions broken away showing details of construction;

Figure 3 is a Vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-'3 in 'F igure 2;

Figure 4 'is another Vertical section taken 'substantially along the plane of section 'line 4-'4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the assembly;

Figure 6 is -an enlarged perspective view showing -a modified form of supporting structure;

-Figure 7 is a top plan view of a mod'ified form of shelf; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged Vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line '8-8 in Figure 7.

Refer'ring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates a station 'wagon generally which is 'constructed in accordance with conventional design of such Vehicles 'and which includes a rear seat member 12 behind which a storage space is provided. The vehicle is provided with the usual .swinging door members 14 and 16 :at the 'rear end thereof for gainng access to the interior of the rearward port-ion of the vehicle. The vehicle is also provided with rear window 'openings 11 8 at opposite sides thereof and the window panes are 'immovab'ly fixed therein, as is conventional.

'Refer-ring now more particularly to Figure '2, it will be seen lthat the present invention contemplates the use of first and 'second support bars `or str-aps 20 and 22 which are apertured adjacent their opposite ends for the recep'tion of the Wing nut and ibolt assemblies 24. Each support bar is provided on its undersu'rface with `a strip of resilient material 26 to prevent marring the vehicle fim'sh, as will be present-ly 'apparent A pair of crossmembers 28 are secured at their opposite ends vto the first and second support bars and it will be noted that adjacent each end of these 'cross-members are the stepped portions 30 which are of sufiicent depth to place the intermediate .portion 32 of the 'cross-members below the support bars 20 .and 22. A shelf 34 of any suitable material is placed upon the cross-members and, in the form of the invention shown in Figures 2-5, a pair of resilient clips 36 are v 2,767 ,896 lIatnted Oct;

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portion of the station wagon -as regards Ithe width' of the shelf assembly, the fastening assemblies 24 securing one or the other of the support 'bars to the cross-members are 'removed and the opposite support member placed on the 'rear window ledge 'at one 'side of the vehicle. The crossmembers 28 are then swung inwardly -toward each other to ycross scissors fashion -in the manner indicated in dotted lines in 'Figure 5, the shelf member 34 pla'ced thereon and the 'cross-members swung back to their parallel position and snapped into engagement with the clip members 3'6. The fasteners '24 'are then manipulated to reestablish the securement between the cross-members and the other support bar.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure `6, the cross-members are formed in two Sections, the fi'rst section including one of the stepped end portions and the intermediate portion as :an integral unit and an opposite end portion indicated generally by the reference char- |acter 40 which is, in itself, stepped as at 42 and which is provided with a bifurcated leg portion 44. The free end lof the intermediate por-tion of 'the first `section 'is 'ape'rtured 'as indicated at '46, and a suitable 'fastener is positioned therethrough between the spaced 'legs of the portion 4'4 of the second section such that the 'support bar 22 is extensible from the assembly to be positioned over the 'cor'respondi-ng ledge upon which -it is to be placed.

Referring now more particula'rly to 'Figura 7, wherein a modified form of the shelf structure is shown, it wil'l be 'noted that this modification embodies a shelf panel 48 which is provided with .a peripheral rim member '50 secured thereto, as by 4fasteners `5'2, such that the rim member projects above Ithe upper surface of the shelf to provide a retaining flange 'for articles supported thereon.

'From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the 'device will 'be -readily u-nderstood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and 'changes will readily occur to those skilled -in the art, it is not `d'esired to 'limit the invention to the exact 'construction shown and descri'bed, 'and accordingly, `all suitable modifications `and equivalents may 'be resorted to, falling within the scope of the `appended clai'ms.

What is claimed .as -new is :as follows:

1. A removable shelf for station wagons compr-ising a first support bar :adapted 'to 'be 'placed on one rear window ledge of a station wagon, a pair of space'd crossmembers secured at one end to said bar, a second support bar adapted to be placed on the other 'rear window 'ledge of a 'station wagon, said cross-members being secured at their other ends to said second support bar, said crossmembers being stepped 'adjacent their ends such that their intermediate port-ions :are disposed below a .plane 'containing the support bars, -a shelf member extending between said support bars resting upon and secured to said `cross-members, said cross-members being pivotal'ly secured to said fi'rst support bar a-nd removably secured to said second support bar, the stepped portions of said cross-members being spaced from the support ba'rs, and clips secured to the 'undersurface of said shelf member for 'releasably receiving the 'cross-members.

2. A removable shelf 'for station wagons comprising a first support bar adapted to be placed on one rear window ledg'e of `a station wagon, a pair of spaced crossmembers secured at one 'end to said bar, a second support bar adapted to be placed on the other 'rear window ledge of a station wagon, said cross members being secured at their other ends to said 'second support bar, said crossmembers `Ibeing stepped adjiacent their ends such that their intermediate portions a're disposed below a plane containing the support bars, a shelf member ex'tending between said support `bars resting upon and secured to said cross-members, each of said cross-members -comprising two Sections, a fi'rst section including said one end :and said intermediate portion 'and a second section including said other end and a leg portion underlying `and extensibly secured to the free end of said intermediate portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Leatherman Oct. 22, Camden et a'l. Nov. 3, James Aug. 23, Baus Feb. i14, Osburn et al. Feb. 9, 

